Richard Sugden (I) Williams

John Dilworth

WILLIAMS, Richard Sugden (I) Born 1834 London UK, Worked circa. 1849-1928 Toronto Canada Emigrated with his family to Canada 1838. Apprenticed to W. Townsend in Hamilton as a piano, organ, and melodeon maker. Apparently self-taught as a violin maker. The business moved to Toronto in 1849, went bankrupt, and was rebuilt by Williams in 1855 under the sign ‘The big Fiddle’. The leading firm of violin expertise in Canada at that time. Opened further branches in Calgary, Winnipeg, and Montreal, alongside the Williams Piano Co. in Oshawa. Employed luthiers from France, Holland, and Italy, and acquired an impressive collection of old master instruments, including, briefly, the Stradivari 1683 ‘Aylesford’ cello. Followed Stradivari and other classical models, although many instruments were imported unvarnished from European factories and finished in the workshops. Fine bows, round and octagonal sticks silver mounted. The company became bankrupt in 1931, and the collection was donated to the the Royal Ontario Museum. Varnished and Regulated in the Atelier / of the / Williams & Sons Co. / R.S. (Musical Instruments of Quality) Limited / 145 Yonge Street, Toronto. No..